'A catalyst for even more development': Construction underway at Naawi-Oodena
Construction crews have moved in to start the first phase of development at the former Kapyong Barracks site.
Ground broke a few months ago and now work is underway to get the first building up and running at the property known as Naawi-Oodena.
Once complete, the site will house a new gas bar, which is scheduled to open in January 2025.
"We're looking at that gas bar as being a catalyst for even more development for the site. It's a first step, but an exciting step and a hopeful step for the future of Treaty 1 people," said Sagkeeng First Nation Chief EJ Fontaine in an interview with CTV News Winnipeg.
Construction of the 7.66-acre site at the northeast corner of Kenaston Boulevard and Taylor Avenue started last week and will be part of a larger project that will include 130,000 sq. ft of commercial space and a 95,000 sq. ft commercial centre.
"Even though it's a small project, it has monumental significance for Treaty 1 bands that we can do something and we're going to do it,” Fontaine said.
"We've never had a project like this ever, anywhere in Canada, so it's really exciting for us to see that we're actually going to create economic self-sufficiency here for our people."
Fontaine noted this won't just be beneficial for First Nations in the city and province, but this development plan will contribute to the local economy in Winnipeg and Manitoba – something that will be felt by everyone.
The first section of the Kenaston and Taylor development is expected to be finished by 2028, while the entire 109-acre property will take up to 20 years to complete.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
BREAKING B.C. serial killer Robert Pickton hospitalized after prison attack
British Columbia serial killer Robert Pickton was attacked in a Quebec prison Sunday in what officials described as a 'major assault.'
Passenger killed, 30 injured as Singapore Airlines flight hits severe turbulence
One passenger was killed and 30 injured after a Singapore Airlines SIAL.SI flight from London hit severe turbulence en route on Tuesday, forcing it to make an emergency landing in Bangkok, officials and the airline said.
Conservatives kick off return to House with new call for Speaker Greg Fergus to resign
Pierre Poilievre's Conservatives returned to the House of Commons on Tuesday with a renewed call for Speaker Greg Fergus to resign, this time over 'very partisan' and 'inflammatory' language used to promote an upcoming event.
Trump campaign calls 'The Apprentice' 'blatantly false,' director offers to screen it for him
Donald Trump's reelection campaign called 'The Apprentice,' a film about the former U.S. president in the 1980s, 'pure fiction' and vowed legal action following its premiere at the Cannes Film Festival. But director Ali Abbasi is offering to privately screen the film for Trump.
Feels like mid-30s in parts of Canada, while other areas expecting snow
Anything is possible this week, as far as Canada's weather is concerned, with forecasts ranging from scorching heat in some parts of the country to rain and snow in others.
Nestle to sell $5 pizza, sandwiches in the U.S. for Wegovy, Ozempic users
Nestle NESN.S will market a new, US$5 line of frozen pizzas and protein-enriched pastas in the United States which it says it designed specifically for people taking drugs such as Wegovy or Ozempic for weight loss.
How much more Canadian consumers are paying, compared to this time last year
Canada's annual inflation rate slowed to a three-year low of 2.7 per cent in April, matching expectations, and core measures continued to ease, data showed on Tuesday, likely boosting chances of a June interest rate cut.
Amal Clooney is one of the legal experts who recommended war crimes charges in Israel-Hamas war
Amal Clooney is one of the legal experts who recommended that the chief prosecutor of the world's top war crimes court seek arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and leaders of the militant Hamas group.
Flight PS752 victims' families say they're not sorry to hear of Iran president death
Members of a Canadian group representing families of those killed when Iranian officials shot down Flight PS752 in January 2020 say they are not sorry to hear of the death of Iran's president.